Websites from the ISKCON Universe
The local municipality in Turin, one of the largest cities in Italy, is financially supporting ISKCON’s local Food For Life effort. Devotees feed 100 homeless people at two shelters every Monday. And local public, moved by the devotees' effort, are streaming in to volunteer.
Uddalaka speaks to his son Svetaketu in the Katha Upanishad (For an extract of their conversation see end)
Samhita, Brahmana and Aranyaka
Samhita means ‘that which has been collected and arranged.’ A samhita brings out the meaning of the particular Veda in the shape of mantras systematically arranged. In addition to the samhita portion, each Veda has a part known as a brahmana and another section called an aranyaka.
The brahmana portion lists what rituals are to be performed and exactly how they are to be done. When the mantras contained in a samhita are converted into a ritual action called yajna, the brahmanas serve the purpose of a guidebook or a handy manual explaining how each word should be understood.
The word aranya means ‘forest’ and the aranyakas are texts for ‘forest dwellers,’ those who have renounced sensory pleasures and now live in the tranquil forest of contemplation. These texts are meant to explain the inner meaning, the doctrine or philosophy contained in the samhita as mantras, and in the brahmanas as yajnas. According to the aranyakas it is important to understand the reasons why yajnas are required to be done, and not merely their actual performance.
Upanishads
The Upanishads come towards the end of the aranyakas. Their main theme is philosophical enquiry and an urgent recommendation to rise above the mental states that keep the soul within the cycle of repeated reincarnation. This message is in contrast to other sections of the Vedas which tend to attract the soul to celestial enjoyments or power and beauty within this world and the next. Because of these two, somewhat contradictory, messages the Vedas are considered to have two portions. The first is the portion dealing with ‘actions’ or ‘ritual’ and is known as the Karma Kanda. The second portion deals with ‘higher knowledge of the self’ and is consequently known as the Jnana Kanda. These are also referred to, respectively, as the Purva Mimamsa and the Uttara Mimamsa.
The Vedas were first orally preserved in spoken Sanskrit or ‘purified language,’ as a chain of recitation from guru to disciple, then written down in Devanagari, the written form. Sanskrit has 46 characters and each has a precise pronunciation.
It may appear to be a paradox that the deva worship recommended in the beginning of the Vedas is negated by it in the later sections. Certainly it is strange for the western reader who may, rightly, expect to notice consistency within the same holy text. But there is a central commandment running through the Vedas: so long as we wish to enjoy the world we must worship the devas and perform karma; and as soon as we understand the temporary nature of material happiness and the transience of our short lifetime we must take to cultivating knowledge of the self, or jnana.
The word upa-ni-shat means to ‘sit by the side’ and refers to the student of the Vedas who is called forward to receive higher instruction. In the Upanishads we find that the very same gods who are the objects of obligatory worship in one portion of the Vedas are described as themselves being either students or teachers of higher knowledge. Indeed, even in the Vyakaran section of the Vedas, a dictionary of Sanskrit terminology, the word devanampriya or ‘beloved of the gods’ is synonymous for ‘fool.’ In the Taittiriya Upanishad (2.5) and in the Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad (2.3.33) there is a stinging comparison of the bliss attainable by the soul who has become free from material entrapment compared to the soul who enjoys celestial happiness in the heavenly realms. After a progressive analysis – which reads like a multiplication table – we learn that the happiness of a young man in the prime of life here on earth is surpassed by the bliss of the self-realised soul by 100 to the power of 10. But when men learn of the paltry ‘bliss’ attainable in this world, and they try to practise yoga, they tend to fall out of favour with the gods themselves. The Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad (1.4.10) says that the gods do not like men who try to realise their inner self and often choose to send temptations and distractions their way. Many are the aspirant yogis who have become confounded by the intrigues of the gods.
The Upanishads are so important to the philosophical and theological strength of the Vedic path, that the religion itself was often known as Upanishad Dharma. Although the number of the Upanishads is variously calculated, most schools of the Vedas count at least ten to thirteen as being of great importance. Accordingly, these are studied the most. Srila Prabhupada has regularly cited from the Katha, Kena, Chandogya, Mundaka and Svetasvatara Upanishads, and of course has published his own commentary on the Isha Upanishad.
The Brahma Sutra or Vedanta Sutra
The Sanskrit word sutra means a ‘summarized code’ and in the Skanda Purana and Vayu Purana the definition is given: ‘when a thesis is presented in few words, but with great volumes of meaning and, when understood, is very beautiful.’
Vedanta means ‘the end of knowledge’ and is meant to be the ultimate Vedic text in the matter of exploring the nature or ‘perfect being’ of Brahman (spirit) and its relationship to matter. The Vedanta Sutra covers the nature of the infinitesimal, individual being and the infinite being. Since describing the relationship between them must include analysing how the individual living being falls into ignorance and suffers the nature of forgetfulness and illusion is examined.
The Vedanta Sutra was composed by Srila Vyasadeva as an exegesis of all the Upanishads and is compromised of 555 sutras divided into 192 adhikaranas, logical arguments or syllogisms, each of which consist of five parts: 1.Visaya (thesis or statement) 2.Samsaya (doubt in the tenability of the statement) 3.Purvapaksha (presentation of a view opposing the original statement) 4.Siddhanta (determination of the ‘final conclusion,’ by quotation from Vedic texts) 5.Sangati (confirmation of the final conclusion by quotation from Vedic texts.
All schools of thought in India have their own commentary on the Vedanta Sutra written by the original preceptor of their lineage.
The distinction between matter and spirit is introduced in the famous conversation between father and son in the Katha Upanishad. I read it here.
Mayapur Academy's new Italian branch allows devotees in the Western World and particularly Europe to learn the knowledge, skills and values they need to serve as pujaris in ISKCON without traveling all the way to Mayapur in India. Units include astrology Tulasi care and worship, jewelry making, cooking, festivals, yajnas, turban making, and flower decorations.
Sunshine on a Cloudy Day.
Vaisesika Das: The Temptations, a wildly popular Motown singing group, released their biggest hit song in 1965.
By Deena das For the pleasure of the devotees, below is Chapter 231 of the Garuda purana, where Mahadeva Shiva calls on Lord Narasimhadeva. (The Matrgana's mentioned in this story are eight goddesses produced from the bodies of Vishnu, Shiva and six other main deities during the killing of a powerful demon called Andhaka. Their origin is recounted in the Varaha-purana.) Continue reading "Garuda Purana: Shiva’s prayer to Lord Narasimhadev
→ Dandavats"
By Chandan Bhatia Chand Kazi was the Chief Magistrate of Navadwipa. He was a devout & strict Muslim who was well versed in the Koran. As the Chief Magistrate of Navadwipa-Mayapur, he kept law and order for the Hussein Shah and was also the spiritual advisor of the Shah. He was a tyrannical ruler and the Hindus were oppressed in their religious practices. Continue reading "Lord Nrsimhadeva’s pastimes with Chand Kazi
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Bhagavad Gita - As It Is Gifted to District Collector and Musical Genius (Album with photos)
Venudhari Kanhaiya das: Today 2nd may 2017 in a library opening ceremony we gifted Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavad darshan (Tamil BTG) to Viradhunagar (South Tamilnadu)
District Collector Thiru ShivaGhanam and Musical Genius & music director Ilaiyaraaja received Bhagavad-gita and said that he already has Srila Prabhupada Books and referring through and also a set of Srila Prabhupada’s Books gifted to the newly opened library at Thiruchuli near Aruppukottai and hundreds of Library contacts collected for monthly Bhagavad darshan - BTG
delivery.
Find them here: https://goo.gl/XtyUGk
Mother Arca-vigraha’s Disappearance Celebration, May 2, Mumbai (Audio recording of a Skype conversation with Giriraj Swami, Narottamananda Prabhu and others)
Giriraj Swami: Today I had a wonderful Skype call with the devotees in Mumbai in celebration of Mother Arca-vigraha’s disappearance day. My godbrother Narottamananda Prabhu’s talk was especially enlivening and enlightening. How sublime that we all could gather to remember and appreciate and glorify a great Vaishnavi.
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[Talk at Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago]
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The post Gita Essence 1- The transformational power of love – Self-knowledge as the basis of love appeared first on The Spiritual Scientist.
Vastra-harana Entering the clear waters of the Yamuna to prepare for the incomparable worship of goddess Katyayani, the girls of Vraja left their garments on the shore. Smiling and cleverKrsna stole those garments, climbed a kadamba tree, embarrassed the girls by speaking many splendid joking words, and eventually returned the garments. I take shelter of […]
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Vana-bihari : Frolicking in the Forest! Vrindavana is Krsna’s perfect playground, with mountains, valleys, meadows, forests and rivers. Vrindavana’s topmost opulence is its flowers. Its beauty is enhanced by Krsna’s touch. What can be said of fruits? Krsna uses ropes and stones to fell them from the trees. He savours some with gusto; He and […]
The post Chandan Yatra Day4: Vana -bihari appeared first on Mayapur.com.
According to the Ramayana of Valmiki, King Janaka found Sita Devi while ploughing as part of a yajna. Therefore, Sita is described as the daughter of the earth goddess Bhumi and the adopted daughter of King Janaka and Queen Sunaina.
In Her youth, She married Lord Rama, but after some time, She followed Her husband in exile. When Lord Rama killed Ravana, He brought Sita Devi back to Ayodhya.
“Today I had a wonderful Skype call with the devotees in Mumbai in celebration of Mother Arca-vigraha’s disappearance day. My godbrother Narottamananda Prabhu’s talk was especially enlivening and enlightening. How sublime that we all could gather to remember and appreciate and glorify a great Vaishnavi.”
On October 6th, 1969, in London, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada gave a lecture about the Vedas. He began as follows: “Ladies and gentlemen, today’s subject matter is the teachings of the Vedas. What are the Vedas? The Sanskrit verbal root of veda can be interpreted variously, but the purport is finally one. Veda means knowledge. Any knowledge you accept is veda, for the teachings of the Vedas are the original knowledge…”
The Vedas, Vedangas, Upangas and Upavedas
The Vedas are one body of knowledge divided into four, the Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Veda. Each of the four Vedas has several, slightly variant recensions known as sakhas. In each of those sakhas there are three portions: the Samhita, Brahmana, and the Aranyaka.
The Rig Veda contains many Sanskrit hymns of praise directed to many devas or gods, in truth many aspects of the one, single divine. What in later ages became known as slokas, or metrical verses, were originally known as rigs. Each rig is a mantra and a number of such rigs or mantras make up a poem known as a sukta. The Samhita portion of the Rig Veda contains more than ten thousand rigs (10,170 to be precise) grouped into 1028 poems or suktas.
The word Yajur is derived from the word Yaj or worship. The word Yajna, meaning sacrificial worship, is also derived from this stem. The Yajur Veda spells out the ritualistic procedural details of worship whereby all the rigs of the Rig Veda can be employed.
The word Sama means to ‘make peaceful’ and the Sama Veda contains music to make the gods peaceful and pleased with the worshipper. In order to attain the grace of the gods who are being propitiated, the priest sings the rig mantras to the seven notes of the musical scale rather than the strict upward and downward notes of the Rig Veda chanting.
The Atharva Veda draws its name from the rishi named Atharva who revealed it. The mantras in this Veda are for protection.
The Vedangas are the various ‘limbs’ of the Vedas and include texts on pronunciation of the mantras (Siksha) texts on grammar and poetic metre (Vyakaran and Chanda) as well as a dictionary (Nirukti). Since Vedic yajnas or rituals have to be performed in exactly constructed arenas and according to the phases of the moon and stars there are also handbooks for mathematics, astrology and ritual detail (Jyotish and Kalpa)
The Upangas are the ‘subsidiary limbs’ and consist of texts that support the performance of ritual and the comprehension of their importance and intrinsic philosophical basis. They include Mimamsa, the ‘deep analysis of a subject worthy of reverence,’ Nyaya, the system of logical deduction and analysis of evidence; histories or Purana, and the Dharma Shastras, codes of living for civilised people.
The Dharma Shastras describe household duties, personal work, cleanliness, eating, and ceremonies related to life-cycle events such as weddings and funerals. There are 18 such texts, known as smritis, written by 18 rishis such as Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara, and the smritis all bear their names.
The Upavedas are texts dealing with corollary subjects important for organizing the various features and essential elements of civilized human society. Ayur-veda explains an elaborate system of medicine; the Artha-shastra describes polity and economics; the Dhanur-veda focuses on ethical warfare and the Gandharva-veda teaches music.
Volume One of Shyamasundar’s long-awaited memoir is now available. This is the most intimate, detailed, and exciting account yet of Bhaktivedanta Swami’s amazing adventures in the dawn of the Hare Krishna movement. The forest King Krsna became completely captivated by the sidelong glances of the forest-queen Srimati Radharani, who was also blossoming with happiness as He decorated Her with many flowers from the king of kadamba trees. I pray that supremely opulent King of kadamba trees may appear before me and grant transcendental happiness to my eyes. […]
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At the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness. The sun, the moon and the other planets were very peaceful. Beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. The rivers flowed with clear water and in the trees, birds like cuckoos and swarms of […]
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Dubai April 7th
While I was in Toronto, Anirudha P, one of my Canadian tour organizers, persuaded me to go to Niagara falls. Somehow , the idea of traveling to places just to see them doesn’t inspire me so much. But recently I have been meditating on the experiential genre of writing and speaking. So, I thought of going there not just to see the falls but also to speak and write on it. And just that thought put me in a much more spiritual frame of consciousness while traveling to and viewing the falls.
Seeing the falls triggered several thoughts such as:
1. The beauty and power of natural phenomena point to the beauty and power of their trans-natural source. (Ref Gita 10.41)
2. The flow of water produces spectacular sights sometimes, but the water keeps flowing towards ocean. So too can we aspire for our consciousness to keep flowing towards Krishna even when we are able to do something special. (Ref Bhagavatam 1.8.42)
3. Physical divisions can be transcended by higher common purpose, just as the American and Canadian falls join together after falling. (Ref Gita 18.20)
I spoke these points in the below audio/video.
https://www.thespiritualscientist.com/2017/05/meditation-niagara-falls/
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